big legend movie review

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Big Legend Reviews

Big Legend isn't here to change your mind about politics or make you feel some deep emotion. This is pure mindless entertainment of the highest drive-in quality. Roger Corman should be proud.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jul 2, 2018

BIG LEGEND Review – Big Feet, Little Scares

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Written and Directed By Justin Lee

Distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Vega, Baby! Productions

I’m not really much of a Bigfoot enthusiast. My dad believes in all that stuff: aliens, ghosts, the illuminati, Bigfoot. I’m not saying we went on Bigfoot expeditions. It was more like watching never ending documentaries on Bigfoot and extraterrestrial life. But we are not here to discuss my childhood trauma, we are here to talk about one of these legends. A Big Legend . Directed by Justin Lee, Big Legend is the story of an army ranger (Makely) on a mission to uncover the truth of his girlfriend’s (Spiro) disappearance. Turns out, it’s less “lost in the woods” and more “eaten by sasquatch.” He teams up with a local hunter (Robinson), who has his sights set on catching a glimpse of the beast within the forest.

Kevin Makely plays Tyler Laird, a normal man whose life is changed by Bigfoot eating his girlfriend. Makely does a credible job carrying the movie during the dull moments of stalking Bigfoot country. There aren’t that many characters in Big Legend , so most of them just set up the plot and move us along to Tyler’s final confrontation Bigfoot. It isn’t Oscar level screenwriting, but it did its job. I was rooting for Tyler, and by the end I was hoping he didn’t wind up as Bigfoot turds.

It’s not really a mythical monster movie if you don’t eventually team up with that special someone who knows more than the main character. Filling this role is Bigfoot hunter Eli Verunde, played by Todd A. Robinson. Eli is the most knowledgeable character on the big man himself, but has never actually seen the cryptid critter. After so many years of catching big game, a glimpse of Bigfoot was to be his ultimate prize. While we get an introduction for Tyler, Natalie (Tyler’s girlfriend), and even Tyler’s psychiatric doctor, Eli kind of just shows up. The characters never even introduce themselves. So Eli is just the, “Hunter Guy,” and he calls Tyler, “Chief.” That is until Tyler starts calling Eli “Chief,” making writing this whole review very confusing. Good idea for a drinking game, though. Take a sip every time someone says chief, a whole shot every time you get confused, and chug when you wish something interesting was happening.

The biggest issue I had with Big Legend was the pacing. It gets bogged down way too much in the story, and skimps on the good ol’ limb ripping Bigfoot action. There weren’t a lot of moments that made “Big Legend” memorable. I was consistently let down, with perfect opportunities for scares and action fizzling out into more dialogue. I didn’t expect something to happen at every tense moment, but I would have liked at least something. Maybe some furry claws grab Tyler or hunter guys face from behind. You know, basic bigfoot stuff. That would have been great! You don’t even have to kill them, just maim them a little. My excitement levels would’ve gone from 40 to 90.

Major spoiler: If you do not want to know what happens to Bigfoot, skip this paragraph.

In the final act, Tyler and Bigfoot square off in a fight to the death. Sounds pretty one sided, Bigfoot being a Bigfoot and all, but Tyler turns the tables with the power of fire. Slick move, Tyler. Seeing Bigfoot engulfed in flames was pretty awesome for a few seconds, until he runs off like a cartoon character…in sped up motion. It was pretty silly. I was getting all excited to see Bigfoot’s ultimate demise, and he just runs off into the woods like startled bear.

*END OF SPOILERS*

In terms of gory details, it wasn’t the fiesta of blood and guts I would have liked. But it wasn’t bad. There was a nasty broken leg with some bone peaking out. The blood looked okay, but the longer it was on the screen the more it started to look like a blood orange. Not actually seeing Bigfoot rip any limbs off was a bit of bummer, but we can’t always get what we want. What I did find impressive was seeing Bigfoot actually eating someone. A nice level of blood and crunching noises, with a side of screaming. It’s fun when we get to see Bigfoot do monster stuff.

I have to say what I admire about Justin Lee is that he is trying to do what Universal failed to do with the Dark Universe. At the end when Tyler Laird survives and wakes up in a hospital room, he is approached by a man named Jackson Wells who is putting together a team of, I suppose, monster slayers. Big Legend wasn’t the best movie, but if Justin Lee is planning to create a Dark Universe of his own using Mythical Monsters as the primary target, I’ll be keeping an eye on his progression. Are we going to see The Jersey Devil next? The Chupacabra? Or even The Loch Ness Monster?!?

Big Legend was a bit dull, but wasn’t a complete wash. The final confrontation with Tyler and Bigfoot was a fun watch, and Tyler deserved getting that job offer in becoming a monster slayer. If Justin Lee is attempting to bring something bigger to his own monster universe, this probably wasn’t a great start. If they fixed the pacing and added a bit more blood and guts, this could have been a solid monster flick. It’s pretty clear that they wanted to do more, but budget constraints means padding time, and padding time means lots of shots of Tyler walking around in a forest. It is not easy making a great low budget film, but it is possible. There are tons successful of low budget movies, especially in the horror genre. With good story, even just three people getting lost in the woods can be a smash hit. Here’s hoping that the next installment of Lee’s “Monster Chronicles” will come with a little more polish.

Big Legend was okay, but not super memorable. With some more polish in the script and a little more work on the pacing, it could have been a great introduction to a new monster universe Lee has in development.

Categorized: Reviews

[Review] ‘Big Legend’ Lacks Polish But Is Highly Entertaining

Despite the nearly endless amount of monsters practically begging to be adapted to film, the wild world of cryptozoology remains a criminally underused source of inspiration for horror movies. While a few lucky cryptids have become ingrained in popular culture over the years, none have graced the silver screen as often (or as prominently) as the Big Man himself. The latest of these Sasquatch flicks is Justin Lee’s Big Legend , a surprisingly compelling survival story with more than a few surprises up its sleeve.

Big Legend stars Kevin Makely as Tyler Laird, a man haunted by the tragic disappearance of his fiancé during a camping trip. After a year in psychiatric care, Tyler returns to the woods that claimed the love of his life, hell-bent on finding the monstrous creature responsible. As he ventures through the mysterious beast’s territory, his suspicions that what he experienced was no mere animal attack are confirmed in the most gruesome way imaginable.

The film also features a brief but lovable performance by Adrienne Barbeau as Tyler’s mother, not to mention Todd A. Robinson as a quirky hunter/Bigfoot enthusiast, but the majority of the picture dwells on Makely’s interaction with the Pacific Northwest wilderness and the secrets that lurk within. The limited amount of characters and lonely backdrop make this a more intimate and contained ordeal when compared to most Bigfoot movies, while also focusing on the inherent solitude of Tyler’s journey and struggle for survival.

Luckily for us, Makely does a great job of carrying the film through these lonely sequences, and it’s hard not to feel sorry for Tyler after all he’s been through. The dialogue occasionally feels forced and the overall script could have used some more polish, but it’s still an entertaining experience.

That being said, there is a certain aura of cheapness permeating Big Legend , with nearly every element of the film feeling slightly rough around the edges. This is obviously a result of the limited budget, but I feel that many of these issues could have been avoided by beefing up the art direction and trimming some hammy lines from the script. Bigfoot himself also looks very mundane, but there are only so many ways you can depict a bipedal ape on film without straying too far from eyewitness accounts, so I can’t quite blame the filmmakers for that.

While the movie is a self-contained story with a clear beginning, middle and end, the final scene serves as a bizarre form of sequel bait that I would have despised had it shown up in any other movie. However, considering how earnestly this small film presented its plans for a franchise, I can’t help but feel excited about what comes next, despite how out-of-place this particular scene feels.

Overall, Big Legend is a highly entertaining survival flick that mostly works well within its budgetary constraints. While the movie is admittedly lacking in polish, it’s easy to look past that once you consider the charming and heartfelt nature of the production. It’s not exactly the best Bigfoot movie out there, but it’s certainly worth a watch if you’re up for an atmospheric tale of love, loss and Sasquatch.

Big Legend premiered at the 2018 Portland Horror Film Festival on June 13th, and will hit VOD on July 3rd!

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

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Movie Review: BIG LEGEND (2018)

July 2, 2018 December 26, 2018
Megan Casady

Cryptozoology has always intrigued me. I grew up watching television shows like So Weird, The X-Files , and Lost Tapes and I can remember picking out every Bigfoot film I could find in those DVD grab bins at my local Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Bumble, The Abominable Snowmonster of the North from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the sole reason I watched my home-recorded VHS tape of the Rankin/Bass Christmas special on repeat every holiday season and I am always on the lookout for content that might tickle my Sasquatch. In other words, it doesn’t take a whole lot of convincing to get me to watch the latest exploration of the creepy world of cryptozoology and Justin Lee’s debut film BIG LEGEND does not disappoint.

BIG LEGEND , a Papa Octopus Production, written and directed by newcomer Justin Lee, sounds like it might be just another Bigfoot movie, but it’s actually one of my favorite entries in this obscure genre and I’m really looking forward to what Lee has in store next. The film begins with a couple embarking on a camping trip together in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest at Mount St. Helends, but their would-be romantic getaway comes to an end shortly after it begins. Tyler (Kevin Makely), an ex-Army Ranger had planned to take his girlfriend, Natalie (Summer Spiro) for a romantic getaway in the woods and come back with a fiance, but instead he returns with more than just war-PTSD. Something took Natalie and after loads of psychiatric treatment and a year later, Tyler decides to return to the woods in search of some answers.

For a freshman film, BIG LEGEND is rather impressive, visually and artistically. The cinematography from Adrian M. Pruett is quaint, but promising, and surprised me a couple of times with some rather handsome shots of our protagonists exploring the woods. Equally as impressive, is the utilization of sound and dialogue throughout the film. The more film I consume, the more I learn about the importance of sound design and I’ve become more aware of how it can change a film for better or for worse. In this case, the utilization of score by Jared Forman, the dialogue, and sound (or in some instances, lack thereof), was perfectly applied; moments of complete stillness or white noise of the woods helped to build tension and I noticed myself holding my breath in fear of what or who might be lurking in the trees. It’s a bold move to practice such a limited use of sound or dialogue in a film and it’s often not done very well. In some cases though, like John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place or Lynne Ramsey’s You Were Never Really Here – both top tier films, in my opinion – it heightens the experience in a really interesting and unique way and I think Justin Lee also achieves that with BIG LEGEND . To add one more thing to the list of wins for this film: I loved the use of practical effects by Angela Bulmer, as practical is always my preference over CGI. I just love the nostalgia imbued in seeing a practical, tangible monster and BIG LEGEND delivered on that front as well.

BIG LEGEND is one part cryptid mythology, one part revenge film, and one part artsy adventure film, all tied together with an ending that had me saying, “YAAASSSS!”. Justin Lee doesn’t plan to stop with BIG LEGEND either, he’s got multiple film ideas in the bag, so it sounds like the adventures will continue and I am so here for all of it.

BIG LEGEND will be released on VOD July 3rd. Stay out of the woods; monsters are real…

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BIG LEGEND – (Film Review)

Film Review by: Julia Seel

Set in the forest surrounding Mt St Helens, Big Legend is an hour and a half of gorgeous mossy-tree visuals. With a violent cryptid. Tyler Laird (played by Kevin Makely) makes it through a more-or-less standard psych evaluation after he and fiancée Natalie (Summer Spiro) experience some woodsy trauma.

Once Tyler finishes the evaluation, the real meat of the movie begins. A friendly duct-tape weirdo named Eli (Todd Robinson) tells Tyler what he’s up against – spoiler: it’s Bigfoot – and helps Tyler tromp around on his mission to recover Natalie. Eli keeps morale up and dispenses wisdom on a multi-day loop, and Eli’s campsite serves as home base for most of the movie so the enormous American flag near his tent serves a purpose besides visual comedy.

The plot and characters of Big Legend are largely based on tropes. The mysterious Jackson Wells (Lance Henrikson) looms from the darkened corner and tells Tyler about the work to be done. Natalie appreciates and praises Tyler’s every decision before turning into a damsel in distress. The other three women shown on screen appear in nurturing roles, to support the protagonist and his quest.

I personally found it somewhat predictable when the movie ended with a tag to stay tuned for further adventures, because Big Legend would make a splendid first-of-a-series comic book. I hope Justin Lee will explore the briefly-shown “No Trespassing” signs, and maybe give some character development to Natalie via Tyler’s flashbacks. Big Legend is a joy to watch on monster movie night with your film buff buddies!

For more about BIG LEGEND click here

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Todd A. Robinson and Kevin Makely in Big Legend (2018)

An ex-soldier ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance. An ex-soldier ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance. An ex-soldier ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance.

Kevin Makely
Todd A. Robinson
Summer Spiro
114 User reviews
19 Critic reviews
1 win total

Tyler Laird

Eli Verunde

Dr. Wheeler

Jackson Wells

Nurse Katie
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Trivia This is actor Lance Henriksen 's fourth Sasquatch / Bigfoot movie. The others are: Untold (2002) , Abominable (2006) , and Sasquatch Mountain (2006) .
Crazy credits SPOILER: Tyler Laird and Jackson Wells will return in: The Monster Chronicles.
Connections References M*A*S*H (1972)

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Big Legend - Rotten Tomatoes
An ex-soldier ventures into the forests of the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance. Director Justin Lee Producer Andrew Garrettson, Jamie Roberts Screenwriter ...
Big Legend - Movie Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes
Big Legend isn't here to change your mind about politics or make you feel some deep emotion. This is pure mindless entertainment of the highest drive-in quality. Roger Corman should be proud.
Big Legend (2018) - Big Legend (2018) - User Reviews - IMDb
Now with Big Legend there are a few decent things about it, but also a lot of just terrible things about it as well. Positives: -The movie has a beautiful setting. The forest they chose to film in is absolutely stunning and is very nice to look at throughout the film.
BIG LEGEND Review - Big Feet, Little Scares - Dread Central
Jul 11, 2018 · Big Legend was a bit dull, but wasn’t a complete wash. The final confrontation with Tyler and Bigfoot was a fun watch, and Tyler deserved getting that job offer in becoming a monster slayer.
'Big Legend' Review - Lacks Polish But Is Highly Entertaining
Jul 2, 2018 · Overall, Big Legend is a highly entertaining survival flick that mostly works well within its budgetary constraints. While the movie is admittedly lacking in polish, it’s easy to look past that ...
Movie Review: BIG LEGEND (2018) - Nightmarish Conjurings
Jul 2, 2018 · BIG LEGEND, a Papa Octopus Production, written and directed by newcomer Justin Lee, sounds like it might be just another Bigfoot movie, but it’s actually one of my favorite entries in this obscure genre and I’m really looking forward to what Lee has in store next. The film begins with a couple embarking on a camping trip together in the ...
Big Legend - Wikipedia
Big Legend writer/director Justin Lee grew up in the Pacific Northwest and drew inspiration for the film from local Bigfoot legends he heard while growing up. Shot in an area of Washington Lee was familiar with, nearly a week into filming, the state saw its biggest snow storm in 30 years, which covered the area overnight with as much as two feet of snow in some places.
BIG LEGEND – (Film Review) - theaave.com
Film Review by: Julia Seel. Set in the forest surrounding Mt St Helens, Big Legend is an hour and a half of gorgeous mossy-tree visuals. With a violent cryptid. Tyler Laird (played by Kevin Makely) makes it through a more-or-less standard psych evaluation after he and fiancée Natalie (Summer Spiro) experience some woodsy trauma.
Big Legend (2018) - IMDb
Big Legend: Directed by Justin Lee. With Kevin Makely, Todd A. Robinson, Summer Spiro, Amanda Wyss. An ex-soldier ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance's disappearance.
Big Legend Review – That Moment In
Jul 4, 2018 · Big Legend is a 2018 action movie about an ex-soldier who ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiancées disappearance. Bigfoot itself is a wildly curious phenomenon that has kept motivated seekers and believers inspired and hopeful for decades, many simply looking for proof it exists, no matter its nature.